As there seem to be several threads going on about this subject I thought I would start one that focused specifically on the subject as I am such a big believer in it. Here is a workout that many of you have already. Can be done at home, hotel, etc. This is one of my cross functional workouts. Very simple. Put 50 minutes on your stopwatch and start doing exercises, in sequence. If you finish before the 50 minutes is up, start over.

This is an example of one of my Kettlebell (KB) workouts. This one was pretty tough for me. I have to get the weight thing figured out a little better, because I like to do the weight work and I think it's important, but I'm sore for 3 days afterwards and it's hurting my riding. I need to find the SST of weight routines.

In honor of this thread I did the workout I posted (I changed it a little w/ heavier weights). Ugh. It's probably not much for some of you guys, but it's a lot for me. Including the stretching at the end it takes me about 90 minutes total.

Can't believe I forgot this was called a vertical leg press sled.
Donkeys are a calf raise exercise.

11-13-12, 10:18 PM

benajah

So I have a question. I have this slight orthopaedic problem with my right leg that severely limits the leg exercises I can do with that leg. Basically I can do squats, stair steppers wearing a heavy pack (I do a lot of mountaineering and backpacking also so this is a favorite), and that's about it. Now my other leg is perfectly normal and I can do anything I want with it.
so what I do is isolate my legs and do only one legged exercises...one legged squats, calf raises on my good leg, and the full range of exercises for my good leg.
after years of doing this, my left leg is ridiculously larger than my right, and I can produce well...produce about 40% less power with my bad leg. At this point the leg differences are starting to make me a bit unbalanced on the bike, to the degree that my top tube literally sways left and right from a sitting position when I feel like my pedaling form feels pretty smooth.
so would it stand to reason that I may be losing forward effeciency? Or that I'm simply not? Or that if I am this is offset by the "normal" power in my good leg?
it leaves me with two possible alternatives...continue doing what I'm doing, or stop pushing my good leg so hard and concentrate on my bad leg (it can't physiologically catch up though).
any ideas?

So I have a question. I have this slight orthopaedic problem with my right leg that severely limits the leg exercises I can do with that leg. Basically I can do squats, stair steppers wearing a heavy pack (I do a lot of mountaineering and backpacking also so this is a favorite), and that's about it. Now my other leg is perfectly normal and I can do anything I want with it.
so what I do is isolate my legs and do only one legged exercises...one legged squats, calf raises on my good leg, and the full range of exercises for my good leg.
after years of doing this, my left leg is ridiculously larger than my right, and I can produce well...produce about 40% less power with my bad leg. At this point the leg differences are starting to make me a bit unbalanced on the bike, to the degree that my top tube literally sways left and right from a sitting position when I feel like my pedaling form feels pretty smooth.
so would it stand to reason that I may be losing forward effeciency? Or that I'm simply not? Or that if I am this is offset by the "normal" power in my good leg?
it leaves me with two possible alternatives...continue doing what I'm doing, or stop pushing my good leg so hard and concentrate on my bad leg (it can't physiologically catch up though).
any ideas?

Not specifically (sorry), however I have ridden with a few paraolympic cyclists around these parts. For various physiologic reasons some of them have one side of the body stronger than the other. They can all kick my ass on hills, flat stretches. With the right peddling economy they seem to have smooth form.
How's your leg speed?

11-14-12, 09:31 PM

kindablue

Went to the gym with the intention of goblet squats, pendaly rows, romanian dead lifts, front squats, and plank exercises. Wow my hamstrings/IT bands are tight. I spent some time in between sets stretching and using the foam rollers. OMG those hurt, I'd rather be doing 2x20s than using the rollers.
Ran into a guy wearing a USPCC t shirt (us pro cycling challenge). Turns out he is a former Olympic Track cyclist who once trained with Ripptoe. Weird huh? He gave me some advice for front squats. Boy, I have a long way to go with my form. I have 3 weeks of AA to get it working.

Ordered "Starting Strength" and a foam roller when I got home.

11-14-12, 09:44 PM

sstang13

This is great, I was just thinking about a strength training plan today, thanks!

11-14-12, 10:06 PM

benajah

Quote:

Originally Posted by kindablue

Not specifically (sorry), however I have ridden with a few paraolympic cyclists around these parts. For various physiologic reasons some of them have one side of the body stronger than the other. They can all kick my ass on hills, flat stretches. With the right peddling economy they seem to have smooth form.
How's your leg speed?

I've ridden with a lot of the guy athletes as well, and it's amazing how fast they are despite the limitations....way, way past me.
In terms of leg speed, I can cruise comfortably long distance at about 90-93 RPM, hit 115 in a sprint, but I have a prosthetic leg and any faster and my stump starts slipping around inside the socket that I can't really manage it, starts to feel like the legs going to come off. Hard to describe to someone who can't directly experience it but when you get real sweaty there is a layer of water between the leg and the gel liner that protects the skin, which directly contacts the carbon fiber socket, so when you lose smooth pedaling form, such as in a sprint, you start to feel like you have no leg connection to the bike on the prosthetic side.
the closest I can describe it is try to imagine sprinting on platform pedals wearing leather soled dress shoes. Real slippy.
I raced for 12 years before losing the leg in 2005, a somewhat exciting encounter with some landmines in Afghanistan, so I know how it's "supposed" to feel and that kind of mentally messes with you a bit.

11-14-12, 10:29 PM

kindablue

Quote:

Originally Posted by benajah

I've ridden with a lot of the guy athletes as well, and it's amazing how fast they are despite the limitations....way, way past me.
In terms of leg speed, I can cruise comfortably long distance at about 90-93 RPM, hit 120, 125 in a sprint, but I have a prosthetic leg and any faster and my stump starts slipping around inside the socket that I can't really manage it, starts to feel like the legs going to come off.

Nice leg speed.
You know, I've never really thought of that. I suppose the socket design makes a huge difference for athletes with amputations. I know there are sockets that have that "screw" and latch design (sorry I don't know what its actually called), and I've heard of suction models. I wonder what the paralympian guys use.

11-15-12, 07:11 AM

valygrl

Started strength training this week, for the first time in years. Ow. That is all.

11-15-12, 07:14 AM

benajah

Quote:

Originally Posted by kindablue

Nice leg speed.
You know, I've never really thought of that. I suppose the socket design makes a huge difference for athletes with amputations. I know there are sockets that have that "screw" and latch design (sorry I don't know what its actually called), and I've heard of suction models. I wonder what the paralympian guys use.

drifting off topic, but in a way I think this is relevant in that it affects gym work as much as bike work.
The screw/latch design (called a pin system usually) is far and away the best commonly available system for riding a bike, because you can eliminate having that second gel "sleeve" bunching up behind the knee that you have with a suction system. Tears your skin up with friction on a bike as well as reducing how much you can bend your knee in the gym. I rode a tour from San Francisco to San Diego with a suction system and the back of my knee looked like hamburger when I was done, just raw meat.
the suction system is much more natural feeling fit, feels less "mechanical", and tends to be preferred for walking. I have both, and use my pin system socket for riding and general everyday wear, and my suction system for mountaineering and backpacking, my other big hobby.

How about hips and glutes? Like kettel bell swings. Is that important also? Because I sometimes find that when down in the drops, I use my hips more, and I've also heard about how glutes are important for cycling.

11-19-12, 09:42 PM

sandw1

I'm a firm believer in deadlifts and front squats (don't even bother with back squats) for lower body strength that can translate well for cycling, and they are satisfying to do as well. These two exercises are about all I do for lower body, other than some calf exercises here and there. High reps / low weight is probably better for cyclists, but I mix in heavy weight and low reps as well. You'll feel it on the bike the next day. Be really careful with your form on these exercises. Keep the back flat. I see guys with rounded backs on deadlifts in the gym all the time. I don't know how they don't snap in two.

11-20-12, 05:44 PM

misterwaterfall

I'm thinking about working in a 5x5 type routine into my training, I don't know how to keep riding my bike if I'm lifting legs twice a week though

11-23-12, 08:20 PM

kindablue

Is there any farking point to heel raises? I did some tonight, but couldn't figure out why.

11-23-12, 10:24 PM

ridethecliche

Quote:

Originally Posted by misterwaterfall

I'm thinking about working in a 5x5 type routine into my training, I don't know how to keep riding my bike if I'm lifting legs twice a week though

It's the off season. Ride easy to work the crud outta your legs.

Once you lift for a couple of weeks, you'll just have residual soreness for a day. Shouldn't really affect riding that much. Plan for an easy day the day after a big leg workout.